Made Clean

THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL: Mark 1: 40-45 (MESSAGE)

A leper came to him, begging on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me."  Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: "Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people." But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.

This week’s lesson reminds me of the power of touch in our lives.  When the leper came to Jesus and asked to be made clean, to be made whole, to be released from social isolation and alienation, Jesus not only had compassion on him but Jesus did the unthinkable.  Jesus’ touched the one considered “untouchable” and the man’s life is restored. 

Have there been times in your life when someone reached out and touched you in your need?  Have there been times when someone hugged you when you needed it, held your hand when you were struggling or rubbed your back in your grief?  Have there been times in your life when you, like the leper, felt invisible, marginalized, isolated, alone and had someone acknowledge that you were in fact visible, a part of community and connected through a simple gesture or a touch?

Touch is healing.  Touch reconnects us with each other and the world around us.  Touch is more than a gesture; it restores us to life.

Join us this Sunday, February 12 at 10am in Christ Church when we will hear some very important stories about being relationships restored through touch.  Hope to see you at Church!